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VINCENT

E mmett's struggling to wade through his guilt. Oliver's usual smile is absent. I can't stop running through the list of bastards who need to fucking die.

And Samuel…

"Hey," Remy peeks his head into Amaya's room disrupting my thoughts. "My dad's here. We need to get a statement from you guys."

"I'll do it," I say gruffly and stand. I'm watching his eyes intently because if he so much as looks at my sleeping omega, I will rip his spine from his throat. She looks peaceful in her slumber, except she's trembling on the inside. The bond flares with pain, both physical when she shifts and emotional when it reminds her of the turmoil she has suffered. I'll give the goddamn statement, then I'll come right back.

I don't have a clue how to shoulder some of this pain she's feeling, but I'm determined to figure it out. Maybe she can teach me how she channeled our bond so fiercely a few days ago. Fuck, have I really been riding the edge of feral for days now?

Remy's eyebrows furrow as he gives me a once-over. "Not you. Samuel can."

"Excuse me?" I growl low and round Amaya's hospital bed. His eyes flick to my golden girl, making me stiffen. The alpha in me forgets about the blatant challenge of our pack hierarchy and shifts into protection mode. "Don't fucking look at her."

He's not a threat. He's a friend, but there's no convincing me of that when my entire fucking pack is a goddamn mess and my omega is vulnerable.

Remy studies me with only his head popped through the door. He nods to the hall and steps out. "Let's talk out here."

I grit my teeth and look over my shoulder to check on Amaya. Oliver's asleep next to her on the bed, Emmett has his head in his hands beside them, and Sam's staring right back at me a foot away.

My lip curls a little at Sam's patient look. Why the fuck isn't he a mess?

Samuel sighs. "Vincent, let's—" he pauses and bares his throat just a bit, but it's enough to appease the beast in me. "Can we talk out in the hall? Please."

I raise a brow, cock my head, but save my words and exit the room with him a few steps behind me. Remy and an older man who looks just like him look up from down the hall, but Samuel asks me to wait.

"I can do it, Sam," I snap, annoyed with him getting in my way. I need to get this over with so I can get back to my omega.

The usual look of annoyance that's plastered to his face is gone. I haven't seen it since we got to this fucking city and it's leaving me a little off balance with him. Since getting to this goddamn city, everything is out of whack. Emmett's a shell of himself, Oliver cries more often than he laughs, and Samuel is far more level-headed than I am.

"I'm not saying you can't, Vincent," he says patiently, crossing his arms. "I'm saying for your sake and everyone else's, you need to go sit with Amaya."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Running a hand through his dirty blond hair, he sighs again. I clench my jaw to keep from saying something I don't mean, yet at the same time, a flash of loneliness tumbles through my bond with Amaya. My body jolts toward her closed door, but the sound of Remy talking to his dad stops me.

" That's what I mean," Sam says, gesturing to my clenched muscles. "The only thing that's going to calm your alpha is your omega. And you do need to calm the feral down 'cause as much as you can feel her, she can feel you. Fuck, even I can feel the murderous rage pouring off of you, and it's setting everyone on edge."

I start shaking my head to protest, but Sam slaps a hand down on my shoulder. "Part of being pack alpha is delegating. Go look after our girl. I got this. I promise."

With that, Samuel tucks his hands in his hoodie and saunters over to the OPS officers without noticing my throat rumbling appreciatively at his words. I scan the hall, making sure there are no threats he may encounter. I almost shout at him to take his hands out of his pockets and be ready for anything, but I don't because the urge shocks me.

Pack alpha . That's what he called me. Is that why the caged alpha in me feels ready to unleash at a moment's notice to protect not only my omega, but all my packmates?

I allow myself one final glance around the hallway to ensure Samuel's safety, and when my eyes land on him, I can't help but snort a little. He's facing me with two thumbs up and a cocky fucking grin. Who knew the douchebag could read people so well?

I flip him off and duck into Amaya's room.

As I walk back to my seat, I run my hand through Oliver's wild curls and brush my fingers along Amaya's throat to feel her pulse. Satisfied with Oli's steady breathing and my omega's strong heartbeat, I lean down and draw Emmett's minty scent into my nose.

With my alpha, beta, and omega resting only feet away from me, I take my seat and watch over them. Half my attention stays on the door and anything I can hear outside.

When Samuel slips back in, I nod over to the couch to which he gives me an appreciative smile and collapses into the blankets.

They're all here and safe.

Now it's my job to keep it that way.